Bus

Duration

35 min.

Cost

$3

Operating Times/Frequency

10 min.

Explanation

❯A number of city bus lines, such the Q3, Q6, Q7, Q10 and B15, connect JFK Airport to the NYC Subway (Jamaica Station) and Long Island Rail Road. The trip from the airport to Jamaica Station takes about 35 minutes.

A single-ride ticket costs $3, and is valid within two hours of purchase. Within this two-hour time limit you can transfer to other MAT buses, but not to on the NYC Subway.

Tickets can be purchased at MetroCard vending machines (only some of these accept cash, all accept credit cards. When using a non-US credit card, the machine will prompt you to enter your zip code for verification; simply type in '99999').

Buses run around every 10 minutes (check the timetables of the respective routes online).

❯There are also private shuttle companies that will take you from JFK to Manhattan and other destinations around NYC, such as Go Airlink NYC.

Rates start at around $21.77 per person in a shared taxi from JFK (International Terminal) to Midtown Manhattan (Penn Station).

You can pre-book and check out more options online. This is the most comfortable way of getting to New York City, as you get directly to your hotel or nearby.

Train

Duration

50-70 min.

Cost

$5-20

Operating Times/Frequency

Every 10 min.

Explanation

There are two train options from JFK Airport to different parts of New York City:

❯Taking the AirTrain JFK is an easy and affordable way get to and from JFK Airport, and connects you with major destinations around New York City (it's also a convenient way to travel between terminals and within the airport itself, and is free inside the airport zone).

Depending on which terminal you land in and where you want to go, the trip can take anywhere from 50-75 minutes, but the trip to Midtown Manhattan takes about 50 minutes in total (see below for more details and other route descriptions).

An AirTrain ticket costs $5 (on weekends you can save by getting a CityTicket for $4.25), and a NYC Subway fare is $2.75.

You will have to buy a MetroCard and add your fares to this card (please note that there's a $1 fee on every new MetroCard, which can then be loaded with the different fares you need. You can check out the different kinds of MetroCard available – value-based, ride-based or time-based – online).

Tickets can be purchased at MetroCard vending machines at the respective stations (please note that only some of these accept cash, all accept credit cards. When using a non-US credit card, the machine will prompt you to enter your zip code for verification; simply type in '99999').

AirLink services operate 24 hours a day, all year round.

❯Another (faster but also more expensive) option to get to Midtown Manhattan (Penn Station), Westside Manhattan or Queens, is to take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Express Train at Jamaica Station. From Jamaica Station it's about a 20 minute ride to Penn Station (35 minutes or so in total from JFK Airport).

Tickets cost $15 ($ 5 for the AirTrain, and $10 for a peak time LIRR fare). You can purchase tickets at vending machines and ticket offices at the LIRR train station.

Trains run every 20-30 minutes or so, 24 hours a day (except between approximately 2:30 AM and 4:00 AM Sunday–Friday). You can check the schedule from the LIRR website.

Tip(s):

Here are some route suggestions to get from JFK Airport to different parts of NYC:

• To get to Midtown Manhattan (New York Penn Station), take the AirTrain (RED/Jamaica Station Line) to Jamaica Station, about a 10-minute ride, and transfer to the NYC Subway, Line E (a trip of 50 minutes or so in total)

• To get to Lower Manhattan, take the AirTrain (Green/Howard Beach Station Line) to Howard Beach Station, about a 10-minute ride, and transfer to the NYC Subway, Line A (a trip of 60 minutes or so in total).

• To get to Upper Manhatten, take the AirTrain (RED/Jamaica Station Line) to Jamaica Station, about a 10-minute ride, and transfer to the NYC Subway, Line E, to Penn Station; then transfer to NYC Subway Line A (a trip of 75 minutes or so in total).

• To get to Northern Brooklyn, take the AirTrain (RED/Jamaica Station Line) to Jamaica Station, about a 10-minute ride, and transfer to the NYC Subway, Line J (a trip of 50 minutes or so in total).

•To get to Southern Queens, take the AirTrain (RED/Jamaica Station Line) to Jamaica Station, about a 10-minute ride, and transfer to the NYC Subway, Line E (a trip of 50 minutes or so in total).

At Jamaica Station, the AirTrain also connects with a number of NYC Transit bus lines – you can check out the different routes from the MTA website.

Taxi

Duration

35 min.

Cost

$52

Operating Times/Frequency

N/A

Explanation

Depending on the time of day as well as traffic, a taxi trip from JFK Airport to Midtown Manhattan takes around 35 minutes (expect more than an hour of journey during rush hours).

The NYC yellow cabs, which are licensed by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, offer a flat rate service of $52 to and from JFK Airport to Midtown Manhattan, (excluding tips and tolls).

❯A number of city bus lines, such the Q3, Q6, Q7, Q10 and B15, connect JFK Airport to the NYC Subway (Jamaica Station) and Long Island Rail Road. The trip from the airport to Jamaica Station takes about 35 minutes.

A single-ride ticket costs $3, and is valid within two hours of purchase. Within this two-hour time limit you can transfer to other MAT buses, but not to on the NYC Subway.

Tickets can be purchased at MetroCard vending machines (only some of these accept cash, all accept credit cards. When using a non-US credit card, the machine will prompt you to enter your zip code for verification; simply type in '99999').

Buses run around every 10 minutes (check the timetables of the respective routes online).

❯There are also private shuttle companies that will take you from JFK to Manhattan and other destinations around NYC, such as Go Airlink NYC.

Rates start at around $21.77 per person in a shared taxi from JFK (International Terminal) to Midtown Manhattan (Penn Station).

You can pre-book and check out more options online. This is the most comfortable way of getting to New York City, as you get directly to your hotel or nearby.